McCain asks that Friday debate be postponed to focus on financial crisis

[Cooked Crack]

There is an announcement that they've come into agreement in principle for the bailout. Where was McCain at while this important meeting was going on? New York. Looks like the debate will go on unless McCain wants to grasp at more straws.

[DRSmith]

Its called multi tasking

We even had campaigns in 1864,1932,1942,1944, seems those times were a little more serious

i did not the multi tasking excuse from Obama if he can multi task why is he hiding away with a coach before the debate being prepped?

[Tulane Skins Fan]

i did not the multi tasking excuse from Obama if he can multi task why is he hiding away with a coach before the debate being prepped?

Obama is actually in Washington now too, working on this crisis and preparing for a debate, and running a campaign.

And before McCain "suspended" his campaign, no Senator had heard from him, while Obama had been in regular contact with both Senators and even Paulson himself to be updated (having spoken to him twice yesterday before McCain went bonkers).

[DRSmith]

McCain is a coward, he doesn't want to face Obama in a debate because he knows he will be made to look like a fool. This is all a smokescreen to get the public talking about something other then the issues John McCain does not want to deal with.

That is funny Clinton does not feel he is afraid at all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ7hfMFIj64

[Ivy94f]

i did not the multi tasking excuse from Obama if he can multi task why is he hiding away with a coach before the debate being prepped?

Hiding away with a coach? How is he hiding?

I've never known any candidate that didn't get prepped for a debate. They ALL do that... they need to, regardless of their expertise or their knowledge about a subject.

[The Sisko]

So what's more important. Doing the job you were elected for, or trying to get people to vote for you?? I think both of them should quit and go back to washington till they hammer out this deal, than they can return to fleecing the people.

KoolBlue referred to this but I thought you might want something a little more concrete.

[Ivy94f]

KoolBlue referred to this but I thought you might want something a little more concrete.

Wow. All I can say. Didn't even know this information was available in such detail.

[Koolblue13]

And McCain has voted with the Republicans 100% of the time this year, so I guess McCain didnt need to suspend his campaign or try to get the debates moved.

I wasn't trying to be partisan, I don't support either.

KoolBlue referred to this but I thought you might want something a little more concrete.

Thanks Yusuf, I couldn't find it.

Again I'll say the arrogance of these two or the ignorance of the rest of us is something I personally find very insulting.

[Ivy94f]

I wasn't trying to be partisan, I don't support either.

Thanks Yusuf, I couldn't find it.

Again I'll say the arrogance of these two or the ignorance of the rest of us is something I personally find very insulting.

Politics is a double-edged sword. If you're aggressive its either leadership or arrogance, depending on who your critics are. If you're less aggressive then they either say you're not strong, or you're more stable. I don't care about either specifically as long as the candidate is smart. The rest is personality.

[GibbsFactor]

All this for nothing. Debates have to be back on right? Not so fast...

WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain's campaign expressed cautious optimism Thursday as congressional Republicans and Democrats agreed in principle on a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry hours before the two presidential candidates were to meet with President Bush on the crisis.

Even so, the action didn't appear to be strong enough to convince McCain to attend Friday's scheduled presidential debate. His campaign has said he wouldn't participate unless there was consensus between Congress and the administration, and a spokesman said the afternoon developments had not changed his plans.

"There's no deal until there's a deal. We're optimistic but we want to get this thing done," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said.

Obama still wants the face-off to go on, and is slated to travel to the debate site in Mississippi on Friday.

The debate over the debate is the latest campaign twist as McCain and Obama try to navigate the uncharted politics of the financial meltdown and show leadership at a time of national angst.

"With so much on the line, for America and the world, the debate that matters most right now is taking place in the United States Capitol—and I intend to join it," McCain said after addressing former President Clinton's Global Initiative in New York on Thursday before heading to Washington.

Obama argued the debate should proceed because a president needs to be able to handle more than one issue at a time.

"Our election is in 40 days. Our economy is in crisis, and our nation is fighting two wars abroad. The American people deserve to hear directly from myself and Sen. McCain about how we intend to lead our country. The times are too serious to put our campaign on hold, or to ignore the full range of issues that the next president will face."

In Oxford, Miss., debate organizers continued to prepare.

At a news conference, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a Republican, said he expected the presidential debate to go ahead, though he said he had no inside information. "This is going to be a great debate tomorrow night. We're excited about it," Barbour said.

Television networks, too, were moving forward. "We're proceeding as if it's on and will until someone tells us that it's not," ABC spokeswoman Cathie Levine said.

The two candidates spoke to the Clinton Global Initiative—McCain in person, Obama via satellite—before the meeting in Washington with Bush and House and Senate leaders from both parties. One of them is certain to inherit the economic mess, including the aftermath of the unprecedented plan to rescue the financial sector.

Presidential politics was running smack into the delicate negotiations over how to stop further weakening the sagging economy without putting an enormous new burden on taxpayers or rewarding corporations or their executives who share the blame for the woes.

On Capitol Hill, Democratic and Republican negotiators emerged from a closed-door meeting to report an agreement in principle. They said they would present it to the Bush administration in hopes of a vote within days.

Rogers said McCain didn't participate in that meeting, but was in talks with Republican leaders afterward. Conservative Republicans were among the holdouts, and there were indications they were waiting for McCain to make a move before they did.

As Thursday began, McCain said he didn't believe the administration's plan had the votes to pass without changes. "We are running out of time," McCain said. However, he said he still was confident a bipartisan compromise could be reached before markets open on Monday, one that would stabilize the markets, protect taxpayers and homeowners and "earn the confidence of the American people."

He again portrayed his announced halt to campaign events, fundraising and advertising as an example of putting the country ahead of politics. But in doing so he also hoped to get political credit for a decisive step on a national crisis as polls show him trailing Obama on the economy and slipping in the presidential race.

Despite McCain's stated campaigning hiatus, his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, paid a highly visible visit to memorials in lower Manhattan to those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Democrats derided McCain's claim to have halted his campaign as a political stunt, though Obama himself didn't go that far.

For his part, Obama urged a swift resolution that would get the legislation passed, saying "action must be taken to restore confidence in our economy ... Now is a time to come together—Democrats and Republicans—in a spirit of cooperation on behalf of the American people."

Obama also rolled out a new 60-second TV ad to run in "key targeted states" in which he cited economic policies endorsed by Bush and McCain as essentially to blame for the troubles.

"For eight years we've been told that the way to a stronger economy was to give huge tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest. Cut oversight on Wall Street. And somehow all Americans would benefit," Obama says in the ad. "Well now we know the truth. Instead of prosperity tricking down, the pain has trickled up. We need to change direction. Now."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93DTODG0&show_article=1

[luckydevil]

I can't find the link, but the buzz is that he is wants to postpone so he can come back to Washington to vote against the bailout.

[Burgold]

Well that will really backfire I would imagine if the Senate and House wrote their plan and approved it and McCain says, "Nope, not good enough." I got to wait some more.

It will really feel like he's ducking out then.

[JMS]

i did not the multi tasking excuse from Obama if he can multi task why is he hiding away with a coach before the debate being prepped?

Obama is at the white house today with John McCain and the leaders of the house and senate. That was stated in the President's address last night. I guess you were watching "Dancing with the Stars".

[JMS]

I can't find the link, but the buzz is that he is wants to postpone so he can come back to Washington to vote against the bailout.

Is that a joke? McCain's now against the bail out again?

[JMS]

Well that will really backfire I would imagine if the Senate and House wrote their plan and approved it and McCain says, "Nope, not good enough." I got to wait some more.

It will really feel like he's ducking out then.

If Monday is the deadline, and the vote is going to occur in "days". Then it's possible the compromise could be reached, but the vote not held until after the Friday debate?

Would that give McCain any cover?

Besides if McCain doesn't show up, What's Obama going to do, go on stage without him? Use a cardboard cut out of McCain?

This is really starting to get entertaining..

I wrote to the Mississippi campagne rules comitee, but sadly my suggestion for debate formate was not accepted. Got a nice form letter rejection though... I thought it would be good if they had whipped cream pie shells on the podiums and the candidates could smash pies into the other guys face after they make a good point on the direction of the moderator.

[Burgold]

I don't think so. If the Bill is written and the vote is set for Monday, then there's absolutely no reason that he and Obama couldn't debate and hop a flight back in DC to cast their vote.

It would definately be spun as cowardice on McCain's part by almost every talking head pissed at them for having to scrounge for something to talk to and ruin their production meetings for the week.

Well, if Obama's there with no McCain... then you have Obama state McCain's positions with no rebuttal. Obama states his positions without rebuttal. It would be the closest thing to a truthful debate in years.

[karmacop]

Even if the bill is only mostly written by tomorrow, there's no reason that both candidates can't take 3 hours away from DC on Friday night for the debate, when you'd have the rest of the weekend to work on this.

I mean, why would McCain's physical presence be needed for 3 hours on Friday evening for this to get done?

It just looks more and more blatant that McCain's real goal is to ditch the debate, for whatever reason (poll numbers, he's not prepared, elaborate ploy to scuttle the VP debate altogether, etc.).

[MonkFan8]

Even if the bill is only mostly written by tomorrow, there's no reason that both candidates can't take 3 hours away from DC on Friday night for the debate, when you'd have the rest of the weekend to work on this.

I mean, why would McCain's physical presence be needed for 3 hours on Friday evening for this to get done?

It just looks more and more blatant that McCain's real goal is to ditch the debate, for whatever reason (poll numbers, he's not prepared, elaborate ploy to scuttle the VP debate altogether, etc.).

Basically, yeah. I mean, he has no time to debate, but he has enough time to do interviews for 3 major news stations tonight? I don't get it.

[GoSkins561]

Well, if Obama's there with no McCain... then you have Obama state McCain's positions with no rebuttal. Obama states his positions without rebuttal. It would be the closest thing to a truthful debate in years.

Ha, right, Obama wouldn't spin every single factoid to make himself look good?

[Ivy94f]

Ha, right, Obama wouldn't spin every single factoid to make himself look good?

There's a difference between spinning a situation to your own advantage, and CREATING a situation for your own advantage. McCain made this gamble all on his own in an effort to look 'presidential', and it didn't seem to work. I don't think ppl aren't acknowledging that politicians spin things, but its a different ball game when you are the one who creates a situation that requires a spin. Risky.

[GoSkins561]

There's a difference between spinning a situation to your own advantage, and CREATING a situation for your own advantage. McCain made this gamble all on his own in an effort to look 'presidential', and it didn't seem to work. I don't think ppl aren't acknowledging that politicians spin things, but its a different ball game when you are the one who creates a situation that requires a spin. Risky.

I tell you what if McCain is sitting in a meeting room working on this cluster f tomorrow night while Obama is waiting for him on a debate stage, the election is over.

[Cooked Crack]

I tell you what if McCain is sitting in a meeting room working on this cluster f tomorrow night while Obama is waiting for him on a debate stage, the election is over.

For McCain. Obama plans to take questions and then make it a town hall if McCain isn't there.

I bet even if there isn't a deal tommorrow, McCain will be in Mississippi.

[GoSkins561]

For McCain. Obama plans to take questions and then make it a town hall if McCain isn't there.

I bet even if there isn't a deal tommorrow, McCain will be in Mississippi.

If there isn't a deal tomorrow for our countries sake I would expect for both of them to be in DC. I guess we will see, it doesn't look like anything is going to happen fast, my guess is they are still working at 8 PM tomorrow night, the same way they are working tonight.

[Prosperity]

I guess McCain needs the time to go learn a thing or two about the economy

[skin_finatic]

isn't this delay gonna cost like 5,000,000 bucks.